The last year I've seen and read a lot of criticism of teachers. Greedy, Lazy etc. etc.

Just like every profession there are bad apples. But, I think most teachers chose their profession to help kids instead of a profession that pays more. As the Sandy Hook tragedy proved someday that teacher may take a bullet for your child.

I know that there are teachers that touched us all, made us aware of the wonder in life, helped us get through a tough subject, taught us something, helped that light go off in your head. Let's share our stories of teachers that have touched our lives.

The snow days myth is a nice one too. Those days have to be made up. It's not like when it snows we just get to say the heck with the day.

With my job, I do an additional 100-250 pages of paperwork on each student I have. I get between 15-20 students each school year. A 40 minute prep period where I'm typically working one-on-one with a student does not account for that.

Society has a pretty awful perception of teachers.

No shit. People like King and SNR must not have known a Teacher in their life's.

Teachers work long ass hours at night and on weekends. And that 3 month vacation is pure BS. No teacher gets that.

A teacher (Soto) making $22K a year and a teachers aid making $10 an hour shielded their kids with their bodies and gave their lives to try to protect the children. I would bet that 99% of teachers in America would make that same decision.

I get the chills watching that. I have been through 3 fires and one decent size explosion at various refineries. You can bet that every time I enter the process at a refinery, I look around for different exit strategies.

I get the chills watching that. I have been through 3 fires and one decent size explosion at various refineries. You can bet that every time I enter the process at a refinery, I look around for different exit strategies.[/quote]I was on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico when it blew out. Jumped into the cold ass water with the sharks. Wasn't a pleasant experience.

Most teachers are really great people with huge hearts and they deserve appreciation for such, but let's not get out of hand. They work 2/3 of the year and when you consider that, their pay isn't terribly out of whack with other professions that also greatly impact lives.

The average teacher salary in California is almost 70,000 per year. Nationwide, it's right around 60,000.

Let's not act as if that's some crazy low amount.

Jesus. I wish my wife made 60.

She teaches 5th grade. And while there is nothing really technical or any huge high level skill she needs to educate these varmints, there is a real art to teaching. I don't have it. I'm entirely too logical and linear thinking.

That and I'd discipline a kid and be fired on the spot.

Teachers are expected to so many functions of teaching, parenting, socialization, and basic skills development. Many of my wife's students get virtually none of it at home. So it is on her to try to develop the kids and she can't do a damn thing discipline wise to push the kids along.